APHA issues preliminary postmortem findings
The APHA has issued an update on the 300 starlings found dead on an unclassified road in Anglesey, Wales, last week.
APHA officers seized some of the starlings for toxicology tests and a postmortem to learn how they died. In an update, the APHA said:
“Preliminary findings indicate death due to trauma and internal bleeding in many of the birds examined so far due to impact with the ground. We are working closely with the North Wales Police Rural Crime Team to obtain more information about the incident.
“We have investigated several incidents of mass mortality in groups of starlings previously. The underlying factors that may have been involved In this case are being investigated.”
The APHA added that it had also tested the starlings for avian influenza and that the results had come back negative.
The 300 starlings were found close to Llyn Llywenan, Bodedern, last Tuesday (10 Dec). Most of the birds were found dead on the road, with many others in the hedges, but none in the surrounding fields.
North Wales Police's Rural Crime Team, said: “We have received the initial post mortem examination findings of some of the starlings from our investigation in Anglesey, however, toxicology is still awaited. As soon as that's received we should be able to release the final outcome."
Anyone with information about the incident, which is believed to have occurred at around 3.40 pm, is urged to contact the police.
